The present invention relates to a fastening device for fastening an elastic hang-on part for hanging at least a part of an exhaust system on a motor vehicle, a hanging device having such a fastening device, and a method for mounting a hanging device.
Hanging devices for hanging an exhaust system on a motor vehicle usually have a rigid support structure to be fastened to a chassis part, such as the floor assembly. An elastomeric body is provided to compensate for vibrations of the exhaust system, via which body the exhaust system hangs on the support structure. The elastomeric body is pivotably fastened to the support structure. The support structure is often realized by hooks that engage the elastomeric body. Also, a hook or a loop structure is used to couple the exhaust system to the elastomeric body.
Common hanging devices have the disadvantage that due to the variety of exhaust systems and their associated different natural vibration characteristics, different hanging devices to be configured must be provided. In the case of damage or any other functional impairment, for example owing to material fatigue of the elastomeric body, the entire hanging device along with the hook structure and connection must be replaced.
Hanging devices having a two-part support structure for a simplified assembly and replaceability of the elastomeric body are known.
DE 103 28 020 A1 discloses a hanging device for the vibration-damping fastening of an exhaust system to a vehicle component, wherein a U-shaped support structure is formed by two contour plates that are inserted into each other.
DE 10 2006 010 973 A1 discloses a hanging device having a two-part support structure, wherein the support structure includes a flange to be fastened to a chassis part and a mounting element. The flange has a first side portion from which a flange plate and a holding pin extend perpendicular thereto. The mounting element also has a second side portion from which a flange plate and a holding pin extend perpendicular thereto. In the mounting end position, the holding pins are aligned to each other, the flange plate rests on the mounting plate, and locking projections arranged on the upper side of the mounting plate are inserted into locking recesses formed in the flange plate. For mounting the support structure, the support structure is at first brought to a mounting intermediate position in which the respective holding pins of the flange and of the mounting element are inserted into a through hole of an elastomeric body from both sides, wherein the flange and the mounting element are twisted with respect to each other such that the flange plate and the mounting plate are spaced from each other. By mutual twisting of the flange and of the mounting element, the flange plate and the mounting plate are moved toward each other until the locking projections engage the locking recesses and the flange plate rests on the mounting plate.
The above-described support structure has the disadvantage that it is only designed for one hanging device, in which the flange plate and the mounting plate are arranged in a laterally offset way with respect to the longitudinal axis of the through hole of the elastomeric body (with respect to the pivot axis of the elastomeric body). Moreover, for mounting the support structure, it is necessary to perform two steps, i.e. inserting the holding pins of the flange and of the mounting element into the through hole of the elastomeric body and subsequent twisting of the flange and of the mounting element with respect to each other.